Paradigm® speakers are designed to provide vastly superior performance and completely unparalleled value. In fact, regardless of how much, or how little you spend, every Paradigm® speaker is capable of providing stunning audiophile performance for both music and home theater!
Paradigm® Reference is the high-end division of Paradigm. Taking a cost-no-object design approach, Paradigm® Reference is dedicated to producing speaker systems capable of breathtaking high-end sound... speakers whose performance can be counted among the very finest available, at any price!

The purpose of each speaker is as follows:

Front Speakers (left/right) provide the main musical soundtrack, off screen dialogue, and transition sound effects.

Center Channel provides on-screen dialogue, center image of the musical soundtrack, and transition sound effects.

Surround Speakers (left/right) provide sound effects and ambience (atmosphere).

Subwoofers provide dynamic low bass information.

Yes, provided they are far enough away from your TV to not produce color distortion. Usually 1 to 2 feet is sufficient. The following is a guide for shielding requirements in a typical Home Theater System setup:

Front Speakers should be 8 to 12 feet apart for best sound and imaging. They are therefore usually placed far enough away from the TV to not require shielding.

Center Channel is generally placed on top of, or very close to the TV and must therefore be shielded.

Surround speakers are placed much further away and do not need to be shielded.

The Subwoofer is also normally placed far enough away to not require shielding.

Every Paradigm® speaker produced has always been designed for superior sonic accuracy. All Paradigm® Center Channel speakers will therefore sound timbre balanced with all Paradigm® Fronts and Surrounds. And for the absolute best performance possible, Paradigm® Center Channel speakers for a given model series, have been further timbre optimized for the Front and Surround speakers of that series, allowing for exceptional timbrel matched performance. For specific recommendations please go to Paradigm® Recommended Systems or Paradigm®Reference Recommended Systems.

Paradigm® ADP™ speakers are specifically designed for surround use. First, they provide a large non-localized reverberant soundfield -- just like you experience in a movie theater – for exceptional surround performance. Second, they are full-range designs providing balanced bass, accurate midrange and extended smooth highs. This ensures accurate timbre matched performance with the front speakers. The result is seamless, timbre-matched sound with the front speakers for stunning music and home theater performance! For more on why you should only use ADP™ surrounds, download the very informative Stereo Review article by Tomlinson Holman titled Dipolar Confusion: The Case for Dipole Surrounds

Yes! They can be mounted on the wall behind the listening area or on speaker stands to the left and right of the listening area. They should always be positioned so that a minimum of sound is projected directly toward the listening area. We highly recommend use of a qualified contractor to ensure that the installation is secure.

Yes! ADP™ Surrounds are full-range designs that are Dolby Digital® and DTS® ready. Their wide-bandwidth ensures optimum timbre-matched performance with front speakers. And the very large reverberant sound field that ADP™ surrounds provide ensures vastly superior non-localized performance. This unique combination makes ADP™ surrounds the best choice for Dolby Digital® and DTS®. For more on why you should only use ADP™ surrounds, download the very informative Stereo Review article by Tomlinson Holman titled Dipolar Confusion: The Case for Dipole Surrounds

Speaker stands should be tall enough so that when you are sitting in your normal listening position, the high-frequency drive unit (tweeter) is approximately at ear level.

Yes, any Paradigm® bookshelf speaker can be placed in a wall unit or bookshelf. However, be sure to use isolation pads under the speakers (see your dealer). Isolation pads will reduce the chance of rattling your wall unit, and they will also disconnect the speaker's sound from your wall unit, allowing them to sound their best.

Provided your wall unit or bookshelf is reasonably well built, using a compact Paradigm® subwoofer in a wall unit or bookshelf should not present any problems. Be sure to use isolation pads under the subwoofer or subwoofer feet (see your dealer). Isolation pads will reduce the chance of rattling your wall unit, and they will also help disconnect the subwoofer's sound from your wall unit to provide the best bass possible.

Bi-wiring/bi-amping can improve clarity, detail and bass response. And since bi-wiring only requires another set of speaker cables, this can be a very inexpensive option to consider. Bi-amping requires a second amplifier and is thus more costly. Both bi-wiring and bi-amping is covered in detail in the owners manual of Paradigm® models that have this option.

While this can be done, it is generally not a good idea. Different amplifiers often have different internal gain; with the same input signal, the amplifier with higher gain will play louder. When passive bi-amping, this higher gain will result in a frequency imbalance. For example, if the higher gain amplifier is connected to the bass/mid-frequency input terminals, it will play bass/mid frequencies louder and incorrectly change the frequency balance of the speaker. This could be compensated for; if your amplifier has level controls you could adjust the amplifier level to subjectively try to bring the speaker back to the correct frequency balance.

However, to maintain a completely accurate frequency balance when passively bi-amping the two amplifiers must have identical gain. The best way to ensure this is to use the same amplifier brand and model to power each section of the speaker. Please refer to your owners manual for complete information on bi-amping.

There is no benefit in using both outputs, and you will lose your "B" output for any other use. In addition, you will always need to have both the "A" and "B" outputs switched on at all times to keep the speaker system fully operational. We therefore recommend not using both the "A" and "B" outputs for bi-wiring.

No. Both "A" and "B" terminals operate from the same receiver/amplifier. Bi-amping requires a second amplifier.

Paradigm® and Paradigm® Reference speakers are designed with low-diffraction grills that minimize interference from enclosure edges. These grills also incorporate a Controlled Waveguide™ to ensure superior wide-dispersion uniformity. As such, they are meant to be played with grills on.

Although Paradigm® and Paradigm® Reference speakers sound great right out of the carton, they will sound even better once they are broken-in. We therefore recommend that you operate the speakers for several hours before you do any critical listening.

Paradigm® and Paradigm® Reference products are only available through Authorized Retailers.

Paradigm® does not sell direct, or through Mail-Order, Superstores, Department Stores, or Chain Stores.

Buyer Beware:

Although many Superstores, Chain Stores, etc. heavily promote ‘lowest price’, do not assume that this means you are getting the best value! A poor sounding $700 speaker discounted to $500 is still a poor sounding speaker. For less than what you would spend at a Superstore, Chain Store etc., you can go to one of our Authorized Dealers and own the dramatically superior sound of Paradigm® speakers! To locate your nearest dealer go to Authorized Paradigm® / Paradigm® Reference Dealer!